A lush green backyard starts with the right lawn care routine.
Regularly mowing your yard will promote lush growth, while nipping out weeds and spreading grass seed in bare spots will discourage new weeds.
Aerating relieves soil compaction and allows water and oxygen to penetrate deeply into the roots. This is most important in cool-season grasses but can also be beneficial for warm-season turf.
Mowing
One of the most important things you can do for your lawn is to mow it on a regular basis. This will ensure that the grass is at an optimal height for photosynthesis and nutrient absorption. It will also help to prevent weeds and insect pests from growing in the yard.
When you mow your lawn, be sure to use a blade that is set at the right length for your grass type. If the blade is too short, it will smother the grass and make it difficult for it to thrive. On the other hand, if you leave the blade too long, it will encourage weeds and other undesirable plants to grow in the yard.
Another thing that you can do to keep your lawn looking good is to rake and pick up any debris that may be left on the ground. This will prevent mold, mildew, and other issues that can affect the health of your lawn. It is best to do this on a regular basis, such as after every mow.
Grass clippings can also be a valuable resource when it comes to taking care of your lawn. By leaving the grass clippings on the lawn to decompose, they will provide a natural source of nutrients. This can help to keep your lawn healthy without the need for fertilizers.
Regular mowing, aerating the soil, and fertilizing are all essential components of keeping a healthy lawn. These steps will help to make sure that your lawn is able to withstand the challenges of the weather and other factors that can damage it.
A few additional tips to remember when taking care of your lawn include watering deeply and only when necessary. A deep soak once a week is better than watering several times a week because it will allow the water to penetrate deep into the roots of the grass. It is also helpful to water early in the morning, before the sun starts to heat up and evaporate the water. This will also reduce the chance of fungus developing in the lawn.
Watering
A lawn should be watered once or twice a week in order to be healthy and to prevent weeds. However, how long and how often a lawn should be watered can vary greatly, depending on a variety of factors, including the soil type, grass type, and local weather conditions. Having a thorough understanding of the factors that affect your lawn’s watering needs will allow you to create an efficient and effective watering schedule.
When watering, it is important to keep in mind that grass requires uniform coverage to maintain a healthy appearance. Uneven coverage can lead to brown spots in the lawn, which require more frequent mowing and can actually make it more difficult for the grass to get the nutrients it needs from the soil. It is important to ensure that your sprinkler system is providing this consistent coverage in order to avoid these problems.
The composition of the soil your lawn is growing in can also affect how much water it needs. For example, sandy soil will easily drain away water, so a lawn in this kind of soil may need to be watered more frequently than a lawn in loamy soil. Performing a soil test is a great way to determine the composition of your soil, which can help you create a more effective watering schedule.
If the soil in your yard is too dense, it can also limit the amount of water that reaches the roots. This can cause the grass to become weakened and more vulnerable to diseases and weeds. Over time, thatch can build up on the surface of the lawn and rob the grass of valuable space that it needs to grow. Raking and aerating the lawn will help to reduce thatch, which can then allow the grass to grow deeper into the soil, where it can receive more nutrients from the sun and air.
When watering, it is best to do so in the early morning, before the sun gets too intense and when temperatures are cooler. Watering in the afternoon or evening can lead to wasteful evaporation, as the water will be lost to the heat and the wind. Likewise, watering at night can lead to the moisture clinging to the grass throughout the night, which can increase the risk of disease.
Fertilizing
A lush lawn can enhance the beauty of your home and boost curb appeal. But to keep your grass healthy and looking its best, it needs a regular feeding.
The wide selection of fertilizers in a garden center is enough to make any homeowner break out in a cold sweat, and the conflicting advice on when and how to fertilize can be equally confusing. Fortunately, a reputable lawn care professional can take the guesswork out of fertilization.
Fertilizer contains three primary (and many secondary) nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen promotes green color and top growth, phosphorus encourages root development, and potassium helps strengthen cell walls and resist drought, fungus, and extreme heat and cold. The goal is to provide these essential nutrients in evenly spaced treatments throughout the year, avoiding high concentrations and imbalances.
Depending on the type of grass and soil conditions in your area, you may need to fertilize a few times per year. Generally, warm season lawns need to be fed in the spring after the last frost has passed and again in mid-summer to help them withstand high temperatures and stress. A fall feed can also be beneficial to prepare grass for the rigors of winter.
A well-fertilized lawn can help you avoid mud puddles. In addition to being unsightly, muddy lawns are hazardous for kids and pets who can slip and fall on them. Additionally, a thick lawn that’s well-fertilized can absorb water better than bare areas of the yard, decreasing the amount of runoff with rain or lawn watering.
Taking care of your lawn involves plenty of walking, squatting, bending, and reaching, which isn’t always easy on the joints. But, for most, a well-fertilized lawn is worth the work. It looks great, it reduces the time you spend mowing, and it can even increase the value of your home should you ever sell.
Weeding
A lush lawn is a sign of health, but it requires regular care to prevent the invasion of weeds. Regularly mowing, watering deeply and scattering grass seed in bare spots are some of the most effective ways to help your lawn flourish and out-compete any weeds that try to take over.
For best results, remove weeds when they first appear and before they set seed or produce rhizomes or tubers. Pulling or hand-weeding is the simplest way to get rid of small patches of weeds, but a garden fork or dandelion fork can also be used to remove more stubborn weeds that have a thick taproot.
Spraying weeds with a selective herbicide is a more effective method for large areas of a lawn, but requires the use of proper safety equipment to avoid damaging your plants. Look for sprays that contain higher concentrations of acetic acid, which will dry out the leaves and kill the weeds without harming the surrounding grass.
Regularly aerating your lawn can help to reduce the risk of weeds, as compacted soil prevents water, air and nutrients from reaching the grass roots effectively. Aerating a lawn is best done in the fall, but it can be done throughout the year to break up dense clumps of soil and improve the health of your lawn.
Aerating is particularly important if you have a lot of foot traffic in your yard, as the constant pounding can cause the soil to become too dense and make it difficult for grass to grow. Use a garden fork to poke holes in your lawn and allow the soil to air out.
If you find that a section of your lawn has been overtaken by weeds, consider a partial renovation. Dig out the affected area, removing any weeds and their roots, and work in some soil amendments and starter fertilizer. Work up the soil with a garden rake, removing any clods or clumps of weeds and filling in the hole with sod, seed, stolons or plugs. Once the lawn has established, weeds will be much less of a problem.